While there are many welding processes you can utilize for cladding and hardfacing, not all are ideal for the deposition of large amounts of material where minimal heat and dilution are needed. The more common arc processes, such gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) or gas metal arc welding (GMAW), often require multiple layers to reach the proper chemistry and tend to deposit thicker layers with more heat input. To address these issues of arc processing, laser cladding with powder has been accepted in some applications; however, it has lower deposition rates and high “overspray” (material that does not stick to the clad). A potential process that can address many of these issues is laser hot wire cladding. This process uses a laser as the primary heat source like the powder based cladding processes but augments this heat with resistance heating of the wire using an advanced welding power supply.

This presentation will focus on the advantages of laser hot wire cladding over other welding processes, outline the cost savings potential and explain how to know if it’s the right process for your application.